Darling, Darling, Doesn't Have A Problem
by tempestx
Summary: She didn't know how to smile, how to laugh, or even how to be happy. He didn't know how to love. But how can you learn something without having anyone to teach you? Kol/OC.
1. Drinks, Dresses and Dancing

_A/N- Something I've never really done. Like, ever. Ashton has no super abilities, she doesn't get the best grades, she can't see the future, she isn't a vampire. She's just a human girl. An intellectual, perceptive and tough human girl who has had a difficult past. I don't mean to lead anybody astray, she will not have a romantic relationship with Damon Salvatore, nor will she have one with Stefan Salvatore. However, she does live with the Salvatores, and the reasoning behind this will be revealed in later chapters. Damon Salvatore is incredibly important to Ashton, and her to him, for reasons which will also be revealed later. She is in the same class has Jeremy Gilbert, a year younger than the rest of the gang, and Jeremy Gilbert is her best friend, but there are still zero romantic feelings between the two._

_This is a Kol/OC story. It will NOT become a love triangle fanfiction. I intend to make it as different from other Kol/OC stories as possible. Further more, Ashton is not anyone's sister/cousin, thus the reason her sur name is RYDER and not GILBERT or FORBES. _

_I have pretty much planned the next few chapters out, so if people do take an interest in this story then I will update regularly and continue it. However, if you don't find this story to your liking then I can just leave it as a oneshot. This story will not completely differ from canon but my OC will make some significant changes to the plot. I haven't really read many other Kol/OC stories, so I'm pretty much going to be going from the show and my own imagination. _

_I hope you all enjoy this story._

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**Chapter One- Drinks, Dresses and Dancing**

* * *

The large room was filled with adults, teenagers and vampires alike, all of whom were quite literally having a ball. I watched them enviously over the top of my champagne glass. I wasn't even sure why I had accepted one from the waiter in the first place, I didn't drink. Alcohol meant clouded judgements, and I was certainly not the type of person to allow my judgement to be clouded, _especially_ since discovering the unfortunate existence of supernatural beings. Clouded judgement lead to mistakes anyway- and I, Ashton Ryder, had absolutely no intention of making any mistakes. It simply was not in my vocabulary.

As I mentioned before, those currently attending the Mikaelson ball were all socialising and having a brilliant time; then there was me. I didn't want to be here, but Damon had told me not to go when he had learnt that I had received an invitation.

So, naturally, I did what I could to piss the control-freak of a vampire off. I came to the ball.

And I was currently sporting a dress. How incredibly humiliating.

Yes, as embarrassed as I was to admit it, and I would not dream of admitting it aloud, my plan had indeed contained one flaw. I had to wear a dress, the one type of clothing I despised more than skirts.

But, as the wise Martin Luther King Junior once said, "Every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice," so really, the agitated look that Damon was sporting as he strode towards me was, in fact, worth the wardrobe necessity.

"I thought that I told you not to come." He said smoothly, hiding his agitation well in order not to cause a scene, but the narrowing of his eyes and the tightness of his jaw made his anger quite plain.

I barely blinked, my face the cool mask that it always was.

That was something which often confused people about me, my expressionless face and words could both console the select few individuals that I truly cared for, and inflict pain on those that I despised.

Damon was not one of those people. In fact, I had grown rather fond of him, especially after all that he had done to help me.

...I just _loathed_ being in his debt.

"Maybe you're schizophrenia has resurfaced." I drawled.

He looked at me sharply, before his eyes scanned my body and a smirk appeared on his lips. "You're probably right, Ash. It is pretty unlike you to wear a dress just to spite me. It's a good look for you, though."

I glared at him.

"I'd almost forgotten that you were a girl."

"You're so funny, Damon. Your sense of humour really does make my life worth living."

"I try." He said, rudely snatching the glass of champagne from my hand and taking a large sip.

"Have you succeeded at doing whatever it is that you are planning to do?" I asked. At his look of confusion I added, "I know that you are planning something, Damon. You don't have to tell me now, I'm aware of the high possibility that somebody is listening in on our conversation."

"It's not me who's planning something." he answered after a while. "It's- Carol Lockwood, as I live and breathe." Damon smirked as he usually did when he amused himself with one of his puns. I rolled my eyes as Carol gave him a bright smile.

"Hello, Damon. Ashton." She nodded towards me, her smile considerably less vibrant than the one she had given Damon. The old flirt.

"Mrs Lockwood." I acknowledged. I really was not very keen on her. It may sound hypocritical, but the fact that the one person who should be protecting the town from vampires relied on Damon and Stefan for the majority of her information didn't do anything to make her seem less of a corrupt politician.

Her appearance at the Mikaelson's ball of all places did nothing to improve my opinion of her.

"How is Tyler, have you heard from him?" I was not asking for myself, but for Caroline.

I was sort of friends with the blonde vampire, and I felt obliged to find out any information that I could on her MIA hybrid boyfriend to give her either some form of closure or see if there was a way I could call the jack ass and tell him to get the hell back to Mystic Falls.

"No." she told me, her posture less graceful suddenly as she sighed to herself in worry. It was clear that she was worried about him. "I'm worried about him." She revealed.

I nodded. "That's understandable." I told her, in an attempt to be comforting.

Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm sure he will be fine, Carol." He told her, putting his hand on her shoulder and giving her a charming grin. She smiled in return and nodded, standing to her full height once more.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Damon said, attempting to sound nonchalant but really the curiosity was burning in his eyes.

She was about to reply, when a tall man who might have been around 19 appeared rather suddenly, too suddenly for my liking. My eyes travelled up until I saw a handsome if not mischievous vampire. Yes, there was no denying the striking similarity in his features to that of Elijah. This must have been one of the unknown Originals. They were a family with some pretty attractive genes.

Even I could appreciate his striking good looks and how dashing he looked in his suit and tie.

"Mayor Lockwood, we haven't formally met, I'm Kol Mikaelson." He spoke in his elegant English accent. Our cougar of a mayor looked surprised but delighted nonetheless as he took her hand and planted a kiss on her knuckled. "We hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it." He then, swiftly ignoring Damon, looked at me.

The look in his eyes reminded me very much of a predator. But I wasn't exactly what one would call a fragile gazelle. "And you must be Ashton Ryder." He looked me up and down, drinking in my appearance. "My brother has told me many things about you."

I honestly doubted that that was true, but I still found myself wondering whether Elijah or Klaus had spoken about me. Of all the diverse people in this town, I didn't think that me, of all people, would be much of a subject of conversation.

"All good things, I hope."

"But of course," he said, and as he reached to take my hand (presumably to kiss it as he had done Mrs Lockwood) I put both of my hands behind my back, taking satisfaction in the look of disbelief that flashed in his eyes. I wanted to prove to this stranger, like I had done to everyone I had ever met, that I was not one to play someone else's game. Even such a small gesture of defiance went a long way where someone as powerful as a Mikaelson was concerned. Especially considering that Kol and I both knew that I knew what he really was.

"Excuse me, but I'm going to go and find some more entertaining company." I said, before turning on my heel and walking away., ignoring Mrs Lockwood's melodramatic gasp. It was quite ridiculous, especially since being left alone with two attractive bad boys was presumably a dream come true for her.

Surprisingly, it took more effort than normal not to look back as I made a rather dramatic exit.

I walked towards Elijah, who was talking politely to a rather flirtatious woman who seemed to have drank a little too much already.

"Your brother looks a lot like you, Elijah."

"Hello, Ashton. Are you enjoying the evening so far?"

The corner of my lips quirked slightly into a small smirk, the only thing resembling a smile that I would ever show anyone, and I glanced at the woman beside him. "No more than you are."

She glared at me, before storming off to go and terrorise another single man.

"Thank you," Elijah said in an amused tone, "I was wondering how to let her down gently."

"The truth always hurts, you might as well be blunt about it."

"I will be sure to keep that in mind. I see that you've met my brother, then." He said as the two of us watched Elena Gilbert make a rather dramatic entrance to the mansion. Elena Gilbert was one of those people who was beautiful, but due to the amount of people who fawned over her was really rather overrated. Despite her being my best friend's sister, I'd never really hit it off with her. We could hold a conversation, but we weren't exactly what I would call friends.

Elijah seemed rather entranced with her, so I waited exasperatedly until I had his attention again, and said, "Yes. I don't think he will be too fond of me, though."

He sighed. "Kol is not the person you should be making an enemy of, Ashton."

"If he sees me as an enemy, Elijah, then I'm afraid that that is his problem. Didn't your mother promise peace?"

"Yes," Elijah said, though it was clear that something else was troubling him. "Yes, she did."

I observed him for a while before nodding slightly in acknowledgement. "You don't believe her. It's understandable. Psychologically, after all these years of witnessing the vindictive capability of those you care about, it makes sense for you to be less eager to trust that her motives are honest."

"I could be wrong."

"Or you could be right. A thousand years on the Other Side and she wants to play happy families?" I scoffed. "Please. No one is that virtuous. Not even you."

His lips formed something akin to a smile and said, "Excuse me, I am to make a speech. I am glad that you could attend."

"Public speaking?" I asked. "Have fun with that."

"I'm sure I will. You look beautiful, Ashton." he said before leaving me to my thoughts.

I waited as everyone quietened down. The Mikaelsons stood on the grand staircase. Elijah, Klaus, Rebekah, Kol, Esther, and another tall man whom I did not recognised and therefore by process of elimination, I predicted that he must be Finn.

Elijah was quite a good public speaker, I had to admit. However, his speech was quite dull and boring, and I found myself zoning out. I was unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching me, and my eyes met a pair of dark brown ones to the right of Elijah.

Kol.

He was watching me with a strange expression, but I didn't really feel like estimating what that might be because I noticed Damon looking between the two of us. I shook my head. Vampires were so weird. Did non of them understand how rude it was to stare? It was quite shocking really, how _blatantly_ Kol was watching me.

My inner girl was torn between blushing and giggling behind her hands. I politely told my inner girl to shut up. Just because I was wearing a dress, something so unlike me, did not make me any _less_ like me.

But it was rather unnerving, the intensity of Kol's stare, and I swallowed, squaring my shoulders in an attempt to make it seem like I was completely unaffected.

And so the arrogant dick decided that that would be an opportune time to_ smirk._

I clenched my jaw and glared at him, which only seemed to amuse him further.

_What an ass._

Being mocked, if only slightly, was not something I took pleasure in. I was not simply a form of amusement.

"… So, if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom." Elijah finished.

That sounded an awful lot like he wanted us to dance.

My thoughts were confirmed as everyone seemed to find themselves a partner and headed for the ballroom.

Dancing…

That would be my queue to leave.

I swiftly wound in between talking, laughing and nervous couples as I made my way for the front doors. But, of course, there had to be that one person who got in my way. There always seemed to be _one_.

And it always seemed to be that one individual that I didn't want to speak to. Probably because I didn't want to waste valuable oxygen communicating with most life forms.

"The ballroom is that way, darling." What was it with Originals and terms of endearment? It was _very_ far from endearing. It was irritating.

"I thought that I told you my name before." I said, frowning in mock confusion before rolling my eyes. "I'm leaving."

"So soon?" he asked. "Surely, you can't leave without one dance?"

He held his hand out to me.

"I assure you, that when it comes to entertaining company, there is no one that quite surpasses me."

"Really?" I asked, leaning forwards slightly.

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he matched my step forwards. "Really."

"Then I'm sure you'll be more than capable of entertaining yourself." I said, leaning backs and taking satisfaction once more in his dumbfounded expression before turning and walking through the doors. I had a feeling that he wasn't used to people speaking to him like that.

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_Is it worth continuing? Please review or PM me and let me know. Thank you._


	2. An All Too Familiar Stranger

_A/N- Wow, I really didn't expect to get such a positive reaction from just the first chapter! Thank you to everyone who has approved of this story so far. I hope that later chapters will not disappoint. I don't see this story lasting too long, however (specifically in the next few chapters) a lot will be happening._

_When I say that the story won't last too long, I mean that it won't become a seventy-something chapter story. However, I am planning on putting a lot of effort and time into ensuring that it is entertaining._

_In answer to a review by blue-lily295 (aka, my first reviewer on this story, thank you!) It's not that Ashton is physically unable to smile, but more to do with the fact that she doesn't have anything to smile about. She simply isn't a happy person, and she doesn't know how to be happy. Yes, Jeremy is her best friend and she has a distinct bond with Damon, and they both give her a reason to carry on, in a sense, but she has been through a lot in her 16/17 years of life._

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**Chapter Two- An All Too Familiar Stranger and A Normal Teenager**

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I made my way to the library quite quickly the next morning, being completely unable to stay a moment longer in the Boarding House after running into Rebekah Mikaelson- still dressed in her emerald gown from the ball- as she came out of Damon's room. Damon had looked quite proud of himself.

The Boarding House was my home. It felt quite like what I imagined a safe home would feel like, and it was large enough for me to have my own en suite and there was even a library. However, the books in the library of the Boarding House were written in a vast assortment of languages. It had become a mission of mine t have read every book in that library before graduation in over a years time.

Currently, I was working my way through the Italian copies, having already made my way through the French books quite swiftly (due to my years of French lessons in school). So, with Italian opus in hand, I set off for the Mystic Falls Public Library in the hopes of at least a few hours of peace.

I arrived at the library rather quickly, as I mentioned before, and was not surprised to be met with a fairly empty building. The librarian at the front desk, Grace, a kind middle aged woman who I knew to be a member of our town's (slightly-less-than-secret) Secret Council, gave me a warm smile as I entered before going back to her book. I gave her a nod in turn.

I wound my way through the dozens of aisles until I reached a small corner in the back of the library with an armchair and coffee table. Pulling my bag off my shoulders and placing it carefully onto the floor, I sunk into the sofa and became absorbed in the lives of Lorenzo Tramaglino and Lucia Mondella.

Romance novels never were my cup of tea, but The Betrothed was one of the many romance stories I would need to have completed the entire library. As I continued to read, I would take note of all the unfamiliar Italian words and would research them on my laptop, which had been stored in my rucksack.

The hours passed rather quickly, and as I placed the old copy on the coffee table and stretched to type another word into Google, my eyes caught sight of the time causing my shoulders to sag. I placed my head in my hands and sighed.

_14:17. _

It was no mystery as to why my stomach was rumbling, I hadn't eaten all day.

Placing my bookmark in my book to mark my place, I slid my laptop and book back in my rucksack and pulled it over my shoulders. I rushed out of the library, not bothering to say farewell to Grace as she seemed to be in the middle of a phone call, and pushed the heavy doors open.

The fresh air hit me and I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes, blinking several times so that they could adjust to the bright sunlight. I made my way through the streets and walked the familiar path to the Grill, walking faster as my stomach growled louder.

As I walked through the doors to the grill, the scent of warm chips invaded my senses, though not unwelcomed, and I found myself a table quickly, placing my rucksack beside me.

A man, or should I say, a teenager a year or so older than myself appeared dressed in uniform, holding a small notepad. I recognised him immediately, partially because I knew pretty much all of the people Jeremy worked at the Grill with but also because in a small town such as Mystic Falls, I recognised practically everybody in the room.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked with a smile.

"No, I just thought I'd sit here for a while." I drawled with a roll of my eyes. "I'll have my usual, please, Jared."

"Chicken burger with fries and a Mocha?"

I nodded and he scribbled the order on his notepad before giving me a lopsided grin. "It should be ready shortly."

"Thanks." I told him as he left.

I relaxed into my seat and pulled out my phone to text Jeremy. My fingers glided over the keypad as I felt a pair of eyes on me. Frowning ever so slightly, my eyes left my phone and scanned the Grill until I caught the gaze of an all too familiar stranger. Kol Mikaelson was sat at the bar beside his brother, Klaus, who was also watching me.

I shook my head at the two of them, both of them much resembling nosy gossiping teenage girls, before I looked back down at my phone and deleted everything that I had previously typed before typing and sending, _This town is infested with weirdos and you're not even here._

Someone sat in the seat opposite myself at the table, and I looked up to see Klaus Mikaelson looking more mischievous than normal with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Hello, love."

My eyes flickered to the bar where Kol was still seated watching the two of us. When he caught me looking at him, he winked at me and grinned.

I looked back to Klaus with my normal poker face and raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you be ruining lives?"

He waved his hand, "Life ruining starts at six o'clock. Kol told me about your rejection." He smirked. "But I have to say," he sobered, leaning forwards slightly. "Perhaps an original vampire is not the best person to play games with, sweetheart."

"I am touched at your concern for my wellbeing," I said sarcastically. "But I'm not playing games, Klaus." I answered him casually. "I just didn't want to dance. Contrary to what you probably believe, my life does not revolve around you and your family."

He raised his eyebrows, and I looked down at my phone when I heard it buzz to see Jeremy's reply, _I miss you too, Ash._

I shook my head and glared at the phone.

_Then get your ass back here now._ I typed.

I looked back up to Klaus as I pressed the send button, who was watching me curiously.

"What do you want?"

"Come and have a drink with my brother and I."

I raised both eyebrows. "Give me one good reason."

"My brother would like to learn more about you. After all, I hear that you were rather rude to him yesterday evening."

My eyes met Kol's once more, and I shifted slightly in my seat before looking back at Klaus dully. "Then he can grow some balls and ask me himself."

Would it be bitchy if I mentioned what Rebekah was up to the previous night?

Probably.

I had to admit, I was rather tempted.

Jared appeared beside us with my food, and my eyes widened at the beautiful display of chicken, burger, chips and Mocha. My stomach growled and I pursed my lips as Klaus chuckled.

"Can I get you anything else?" Jared asked as he placed the food down before me.

"No," I told him, "This is good."

He nodded before looking at Klaus quickly. "I-Is there anything you would-"

"No." Klaus answered.

"Okay." He nodded before scurrying away.

I looked at Klaus tiredly. "Is there not one vampire besides Caroline who doesn't compel that poor boy?" I asked. "On the subject of Caroline…" I trailed off as I popped a delicious chip in my mouth. "Did you dance with her? She told me yesterday about your gift. I never had you pegged as a romantic."

"I did." He told me, but his eyes narrowed and he was about to change the subject when I said,

"Well, if you have said all that you wished to say, feel free to re join your brother."

Surprisingly, he followed my suggestion and left me in peace to tuck into my burger saying only, "Enjoy your lunch, sweetheart."

For some strange reason, I was eating my food as fast as humanly possible in the hopes of leaving the Grill asap. I didn't want to be there for too long and I had no idea why. Maybe I didn't like the idea of eating in the Grill when I knew _exactly_ what the two good looking men sat at the bar were capable of. I was not afraid of them, but to be bashful enough to believe that they had the self control of Caroline would be foolish. I read my latest text from Jeremy.

_Why don't you come to Denver?_

I scoffed.

_Are you high?_ Was my reply.

After finishing my delicious brunch, I left the money on the table. I never really bothered with tips, after all, Jared would only spend it on hair gel anyway.

I got out of my seat and was just about to walk to the front door of the Grill, when someone blocked my path. I looked up and was mildly surprised to see Kol.

I folded my arms across my chest.

"Join me for a drink," he said charmingly, raising his glass to his lips.

"I don't drink alcohol." I admitted after a moments pause. "All in all, I don't imagine that we share the same beverage taste."

"Well, perhaps we can fix that."

I cocked my head to the side and said snidely, "Not in this lifetime." With that, I walked around him and towards the front door of the Grill, not before hearing him say,

"Maybe the next one, then."

I walked down the street, noticing that the sun was now hidden behind the grey clouds. That, paired with the absence of people on the street, it felt like I was walking through a ghost town.

I felt my phone buzz, and pulled it out of my pocket to see a text from Damon.

_Where are you?_

_Walking home from the grill_, I replied. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see nothing but empty pavement. My eyes involuntarily narrowed and I turned around and continued to walk, more carefully this time. Each step that I took was deliberate and silent, so I knew that the footsteps that I was hearing were not being confused with my own.

I sighed and shook my head. "Hello, Stranger."

"Hello, darling." A cheerful voice said from my left. I glanced sideways but had to look up at Kol who was walking just that little bit too close, so that he was invading my personal space. And I had no doubt that he noticed. He was incredibly tall, even taller than Klaus, and I felt uncomfortable and _small_ beside him. And I hated that, because then it seemed as though he had more power somehow. Obviously, he did, but certainly not over me.

"Why are you following me?" I asked him.

He was quiet for a moment, and I could tell that he was examining me.

It made me feel uncomfortable. In a weird sort of way.

"You're not afraid of me." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"I am definitely afraid of what you're capable of, but I'm not afraid of what you will do to me. I drink vervain daily."

"I could just bleed it out of you."

It was then that I realised that we had stopped walking, and Kol and I were now facing each other. Well, technically I was facing his chest.

"Something tells me that you don't have the patience to do that."

He grinned, and I was slightly taken aback but I hid it as usual.

"Oh, I have plenty of patience. Especially when it comes to getting what I want." He leaned closer to me before whispering, "And I _always_ get what I want."

He smelt like old spice.

I swallowed. "And being locked in a coffin for hundreds of years?" I asked. "Was that you getting what you wanted?"

His eyes turned dark until they were almost black, and I was unable to tell how long we were stood there, motionless, ridiculously close to one another, when I heard the sound of a car door opening. I took a step away from Kol, who leaned backwards and the cocky look on his face returned as he continued to watch me. I looked at Damon who got out of his car.

"Is there a problem?" he asked as he opened the passenger door.

"Kol was just making threats." I said honestly. The original in question's eyebrows rose in surprise. I was honest, to a fault, and I wasn't about to lie. Especially not to Damon. I took great satisfaction in his momentary look of shock, but it was gone as soon as it came.

Damon smirked, but gave Kol a cold glare. Kol's hands were clenched into fists and he was gritting his teeth together.

"Get in the car, Ash."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Please can you get in the car, Ash?"

"Of course. Goodbye, Stranger." I said before climbing into Damon's car. Damon slammed the door behind me and walked around the other side.

"Until next time, darling." Kol said to me as he and Damon had some sort of stare down.

I waited patiently until Damon buckled his seat belt and drove us away.

"I come to pick you up from the Grill and what do I find? You're associating with Kol freaking Mikaelson of all people! Ashton-"

"Don't _Ashton_ me, Damon. It's not my fault the guy decided to follow me."

"You need to be-"

"Careful?" I asked, shaking my head. "You've told me before. When Isobel and Katherine came to town, then when we met Elijah, then when we met Klaus. You forget that the person who puts themselves in the most danger in any given situation is you."

"...What did he say?"

I shrugged. "He started talking to me about how he _always_ gets what he wants. Sounds pretty spoilt, if you ask me."

Damon pursed his lips in thought. "I think he's… interested in you. You surprised him last night, at the ball. He doesn't sound like someone who isn't used to getting what he wants, and you did something he didn't expect."

"What he _wants_, is to eat me." I told him. "Especially after I declined his offer to dance."

"He asked you to dance with him?"

I nodded.

"Ashton, you need to stay away from the guy."

"But I can't stay away from him, Damon. I'm unconditionally in love with him. I believe that I can change him for the better." I told him, the corners of my lips curving into a small smirk.

He rolled his eyes. "That isn't funny, you know."

"I thought it was."

"You should seriously leave the humour to me."

"So that nobody will laugh again?"

He raised his eyebrows and turned to face me, smirking slightly. "Are you saying that I'm not funny?"

"Nope." I replied innocently, popping the 'p'.

Damon dropped me off at the Boarding House and left fairly quickly afterwards. Having the whole Boarding House to myself, I did what any _completely_ normal teenager would do.

I got out my book and continued to improve my Italian.

Like any normal teenager…


	3. Maybe I'm High, Too

_A/N- Fun fact. The name Ashton means from the town with ash trees... Remind you of anything?_

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**Chapter Three- Maybe I'm High Too**

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"You're joking."

"I thought we agreed that the jokes would be left to you, Damon."

"You're not seriously thinking of-"

"Yes." I interrupted exasperatedly. "Yes. I am. And you are going to drive me to the airport."

"Like hell I am." he folded his arms across his chest in an attempt to intimidate me. I barely restrained the urge to roll my eyes.

"Damon." I glared at him and put my hands on my hips. I sighed. "Please."

He shook his head. "Fine. But only because I don't have anything better to do."

I nodded. "Of course."

Moodily, he picked up the heavy suitcase from beside me and yanked the front door to the Boarding House open.

"Is it rude if I don't say goodbye to Stefan?"

"Yes." Stefan said, appearing suddenly just as Damon said,

"No. Not really."

Stefan rolled his eyes and looked down at me and nodded with a small smirk. "Have fun."

"That is my middle name." I drawled. "Goodbye, Stefan." I told him before turning around and walking towards Damon's car.

It might seem like a pretty cold farewell, but I still wasn't completely convinced that Stefan had all of his humanity back. And no-humanity Stefan was a dick.

Besides, I wasn't really very good at Goodbyes.

Damon threw my suitcase into the back of the car. "What have you got in there? My entire library?"

"Only half of it. And stop whining, we aren't all blessed with super strength."

Damon seemed to take that as an invitation to shrug off his jacket and tense his biceps whilst wiggling his eyebrows.

I shook my head at him. "How old are you? One hundred and fifty?"

He ignored me and continued to tense his muscles with that ridiculous smirk on his face.

"Show off." I muttered as I walked around him and climbed into his car.

I waited for him impatiently until he eventually got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"You're sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Because you can't change your mind."

"I know."

He sighed and pulled out of the driveway.

"Then I guess you're going to Denver."

It was going to be so strange not living in the same house as Damon and Stefan, I had become so accustomed to it. Damon had allowed me to stay at the Boarding House when I had had nowhere else to go. If he hadn't done that, I had no idea what would have become of me, but I knew one thing. Even in a town filled with beings that could end my life in a heartbeat, I had never felt safer.

But I was quite glad to be leaving, even if it was only for a short while. It would mean that I wouldn't have to bump into any aggravatingly arrogant Originals.

I sat on the bus, my suitcase perched on the seat beside me. I was here. I was in Denver.

Judging by what Google Maps was telling me, I'd be seeing my friend again soon. Obviously I had called ahead to Elena's family friends and Elena had asked them if I could stay with them as well. I knew that the Doppelganger was probably just glad that Jeremy would have somebody else to look out for him, which was probably the only reason why she decided to help me.

Elena didn't know why I was living with the Salvatores. She knew that I'd had nowhere else to go, and that Damon had basically taken me in like a stray, but she had no idea of the reasoning behind it. Which was the way it was going to stay. The only people who really knew the truth were Damon, Stefan and Jeremy.

I had known Jeremy all my life, one of the side affects of living in a small town. He was my best- well, my _only_ friend, really. Other kids didn't really enjoy my company, and pretty much all of Jeremy's other friends had shunned him after he had gotten into drugs. Jeremy had once told me that he was partially blame for pushing his friends away. Perhaps he had said some pretty uncalled for things, but to leave Jeremy whilst he was still grieving was inexcusably barbaric. This was why I didn't care much for people, they were so quick to stab you in the back. Even Elena Gilbert was an example of this. It didn't make these people bad people, but it was always a danger. I had learnt that nobody was incapable of doing anything, given the correct circumstances even Matt could kill someone, I'd bet.

I got off the bus and stepped out into the street, pulling my suitcase along. It took me around thirty minutes of alternating between asking passers by for directions and pure guesswork, but eventually I found myself standing outside of 43 Mraz Lane. The house was large, maybe even the size of the Boarding House, and was surrounded by a luscious garden filled with trees and flowers. There was even a fish pond.

The Gilberts sure did have some rich family friends.

Feeling tremendously under-dressed in my normal skinny jeans, t-shirt and unzipped hoodie, I dragged my heavy suitcase down the quaint little pathway which lead to the front door.

Swallowing, I knocked on the door, briefly thinking that this was the first time I'd ever really left Mystic Falls, before the door opened and standing before me was Jeremy. He frowned down at me and wiped his eyes, as though he thought he was imagining things.

"Hello, there, Jerry." I said brightly, using the nickname he despised. "I was wondering when we would cross paths. I died four days ago now."

"Ash- what?!"

"I'm a ghost." I told him matter-of-factly. "It's actually more depressing than you'd think."

His eyes widened in horror. "Wh- N- No! You can't be-"

"I'm messing with you, Jeremy." I rolled my eyes. "It's a little insulting that you can't tell if I'm a corpse or not."

He gaped at me.

"Ashton! You can't just say things like that!"

I frowned. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

He shook his head and sighed like I was some sort of lost cause and there was absolutely, categorically _no_ point in reasoning with me.

The boy was pretty darn smart.

"Yeah." He said, before a grin split his face. He had gotten over his trauma. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, not unkindly as he enveloped me in a hug.

I flinched at the sudden movement and he noticed, pulling away.

"I-I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't…"

I shook my head, silently trying to tell him that it was fine, but only wanting him to change the subject as fast as possible. And he did.

"Why are you here?"

"Didn't you suggest that I come just yesterday?"

"Yes, and you asked if I was high."

"Maybe I'm high too, then." I shrugged.

"How long are you staying here for?" he asked me as he picked up my suitcase and wheeled it inside.

I closed the door behind me and followed him through the immaculate household.

"I don't know, really. I haven't thought that far ahead. It was a spur of the moment thing... I'm trying to live in the moment."

"Where are you staying?"

"There's a nice homeless guy I met when he got off the bus and he stays underneath benches. I thought it was a pretty good idea, I mean, not having to pay for accommodation or anything. I think I'll find a bench somewhere, maybe even a cardboard box. Then I could cut out windows and-"

"Oh my God, please just tell me you're joking before I have a seizure." he said, rubbing his temples.

"I'm staying here, Jeremy." I told him, amused. "I called ahead, so you don't have to worry about um… What was her name?"

"Linda?" Jeremy prompted with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah, her. Linda. Yeah, she's cool with it. She asked if I was your girlfriend or something."

"That's disgusting."

"Tell me about it. I almost threw up. Thankfully Elena was there to remind me that if I threw up on her carpet I'd have to pay for it, and I'm broke, so…" I trailed off before shaking my head. I was getting off topic. I was babbling.

I was uncomfortable and fidgety and even restless, probably due to being somewhere completely new and unknown. "How have you been?"

He shrugged. "It's pretty cool here, I guess. The house is pretty massive, and they have a dog. I was just going to take him for a walk. I could show you to the other spare room, if you want. Elena used to stay in there when we came here as kids."

"Lead the way." I gestured with my hand.

Jeremy lead me through the maze of a house and up two sets of stairs. Jeremy decided to show me his room first, and I was quite confused as to why he would want to do that until I stepped inside.

And I realised that he just wanted to show off.

His room was basically the attack, and it was massive. There was an en suite and a large fish tank. His windows gave a clear view of he stunning back garden, and it was so spacious inside.

"We could trade, you know." I told him, shrugging. "I mean, if that's what you want then I wouldn't mind."

He laughed. "Yeah, no. You're not getting my room. I was just giving you a taste of the good life. Follow me to the servant's quarters." He said as he trotted (and I do mean _trotted_) merrily down the stairs.

I rolled my eyes and followed him down the stairs back to the second floor and he lead me to a white door at the end of the hall. He pushed it open and allowed me to step inside.

The room was spacious, with white walls and the ceiling was painted a light blue with white fluffy clouds on. The bedding was the same sort of light blue and there was a sizable book shelf against the wall. And there was an en suite.

"It'll do." I said immediately, and he chuckled as he lifted my suitcase onto the bed.

I pushed it down and began unzipping it as he said, "I'm just gonna go take Ralph for a walk to the park for a while. I'll be back soon, probably by the time you finished un pack-" he stopped mid sentence as I opened the suitcase. He was staring at it as though it was an extraterrestrial.

"What?" I asked him.

"Is that it?" he asked, gesturing to the suitcase filled with books.

"Is that what?" I asked, entirely oblivious.

"Is that all you've packed?"

I frowned at his incredulous expression. "Yes." I answered defensively. "Why?"

He looked at me for a moment, and his eyes kept on flickering between the suitcase and myself, before he burst out laughing.

"What?" I asked, throwing my arms in the air, completely stumped.

What was so God damn funny?

"Ash, you…" he continued to laugh. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. This was seriously starting to get annoying. "You didn't… Bring any…" he said between laughs. "You didn't bring… Any clothes…"

My eyes moved hesitantly from my hysterical best friend to my suitcase.

...

"Shit."


	4. To Owe A Mikaelson

_A/N- I plan on updating INTO within the next few days. Please bare with me, I have a lot of incredibly important exams coming up._

_Thank you all for the incredible encouragement this story has received. Writing a Kol story has been a mission of mine for some time now, and I am not very used to doing so, but I hope that I am doing a decent enough job at making him plausible._

* * *

**Chapter Four, To Owe a Mikaelson**

* * *

"I don't know," I told her honestly. I gritted my teeth together and glared at Jeremy who seemed to find this far much more amusing than it really was. It wasn't humorous in the slightest.

My eyes travelled back to Linda, who was not what I had imagined to be. Her voice over the phone had sounded tired, and had therefore aged my initial conception of her. She was, in reality, still rather young.

Though I supposed that, logically, I shouldn't really have been very surprised at all. She was around the same age as what Jeremy's parents would have been, had they still been alive.

Linda was the sort of person that was so consumingly maternalistic that it was virtually impossible to imagine her as anything _but_ a mother.

"I would tell you that I was so overjoyed to be reuniting with Jeremy, but, well, as you can see he isn't the most thrilling companion."

He rolled his eyes.

"At least I don't forget to-"

"Leave the poor girl alone." Linda said, her hand raised to silence him. My eyes narrowed on her stern but warm hazel ones.

_'Poor girl'._ That was her first mistake. Degrading me in anyway was an unmitigated mistake on anybody's part. My rapidly deteriorating opinion of her was salvaged with her next sentence,

"You can come shopping with me tomorrow morning," she offered brightly. She watched me keenly with a hopeful expression that she was feebly attempting to mask.

Linda's house was massive, and judging by the vast number of rooms, she did not live alone. However, it was only Jeremy, Linda and I sitting at the dining table as we ate our dinner which Linda had prepared.

This knowledge, partnered with her evident maternal side, made it clear to me that she did indeed have children. My eyes flickered briefly to her fingers which were gently tapping on the table and I noticed the large wedding and engagement ring which both took pride and place on her left hand, before I looked back to her expectant face. Her eyes were wide and earnest.

She was lonely.

"Thank you," I told her. She beamed at me, before retrieving our empty plates and disappearing to the kitchen. "Where is her husband?"

Jeremy shrugged. "On vacation with her sons. She's got two older sons who are like in college, or something."

"Why didn't she go with them?"

"She said she feels safer here." Jeremy told me, before grinning. "Come on, there's someone I want you to meet."

Frowning, I curiously followed him through to the living room, only to freeze as something blurry ran jumped on me.

"It's okay- he doesn't bite, or anything. His name's Pluck."

"Pluck?" I asked incredulously as the golden Labrador returned to standing on all fours like a normal dog would have done all along. I watched him cautiously as his tail 'wagged' at an incredibly high speed. I bit my lip and looked up to Jeremy.

I'd never exactly come into contact with a dog before. But Jeremy had told me that the creature didn't bite. And Jeremy was one of the few people that I would trust on such a matter.

Slowly, I reached out with my hand in an attempt to pet Pluck, the dog. But before I could manage to complete what would seem to be such a simple task, Pluck's tongue darted out from his mouth and the next thing I knew, there was a sizeable amount of slobber on my hand.

I recoiled my arm and drew back in disgust.

"That's disgusting."

* * *

Jeremy and I walked in the cool, afternoon air towards a local park. Pluck was with us.

I had learnt in the last half an hour, since coming into contact with a canine for the first time since Tyler Lockwood, that Pluck wasn't an entirely despicable creature. In fact, he was quite an enjoyable pet, much more satisfactory than a goldfish. I would have to have a serious think about replacing Dory when I returned to Mystic Falls.

We arrived at the dog park quite quickly, and I wasn't entirely content with that fact, given the circumstances.

The circumstances in which I found myself was, to put it simply, an empty park filled with Jeremy, Pluck and I and a small crowd of nearly intoxicated teenagers.

"If I wanted to deal with under aged drinking I'd have gone to the Grill." I drawled in my normal monotone voice. "I have an idea." I said with a slightly raised eyebrow. "We should leave. Yes. I like that idea. What do you think, Pluck?"

"They're my friends." Jeremy scowled. I stopped walking immediately.

_Friends_?

No no no. Jeremy Gilbert didn't have friends. He had me as I was all that he had left after everyone else decided he was not worth their time after joining the Stoners in freshman year.

_Friends_?

"Be cool, Ash." He murmured before walking ahead to the crowd of boys.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked down at Pluck, who looked decidedly less content than he had several minutes ago.

Yet again, Jeremy Gilbert was trying to impress a crowd of people that he probably didn't belong in. And judging by the way I heard these boys speaking as I approached, he _definitely_ did not belong with them.

There was six teenagers around our age who were patting Jeremy on the back.

"Hey, Jeremy."

"How's it going?"

"We were just about to-"

Only when I cleared my throat did they actually notice my presence.

The one at the front grinned and looked at Jeremy. "Who's the chic?"

"This is Ashton. She's my friend from back home. The one I mentioned..."

"The one who isn't your girlfriend." another one of them said, looking terribly proud of himself as Jeremy gave him a dry look.

"Well," the boy who had asked who I was began, "We were just about to go. Aiden's cousin can get us into the club. You up for it?"

"Sure." Jeremy said, enthusiastically.

"Call me a sour puss, or whatever, hell, call me Stefan. But this doesn't sound like your best idea." I drawled lazily, looking at Jeremy.

"Ashton, could you uh, take Pluck back to the house?"

"She's living with you?"

I glared at the one who had spoken and turned to Jeremy once they had cowered away. "Tell me this is one of your weird jokes."

"Please." he begged. "Just do this one thing for me."

I didn't even have a chance to reply, before the leader of the group smacked Jeremy on the back and they walked away slowly, my so called friend glancing briefly at me over his shoulder.

I folded my arms across my chest and scowled at their retreating figures.

"Do you know the way home?" I asked Pluck. He looked at me blankly. I sighed, "It's a good thing one of us has a good sense of direction."

I walked back to the house alone, in the dark, with only Pluck for company. As I walked, I pondered the many different methods I could utilise to maim Jeremy Gilbert.

"I could always just castrate him." I told Pluck.

After hearing him bark, I realised that he was probably not on board with that idea.

After hearing him continue to bark, I realised that perhaps the potential removal of Jeremy's testicles was not quite the thing that was irritating the dog.

Quickening my pace slightly, I decided that the sooner I got back to the house, the better. It was then, under the light of the full moon, that I heard footsteps out of time with my own.

Seemingly out of nowhere, two men in their thirties appeared before me. I had to tighten my hold on Pluck's lead as he barked at them. The one on the left was tall and had dark hair. The shorter one grinned at me, holding a can of beer to his mouth.

"Nice dog." the taller one said.

"You too." I replied shortly, before walking across the street, only for them to follow me.

"Not so fast," the taller man laughed, as the shorter one snarled at me. Obviously, I walked even faster. "We just want to have a little fun. That's all."

"Well, unluckily for you, I don't."

I felt a hand grab my shoulder and spin me around.

"Well, unluckily for you, I don't care." he grinned maliciously. I then watched on as he was ripped away from me, and, in turn, his head ripped from his shoulders.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to respect a Lady's wishes?" a voice asked.

"Holy-" the shorter man said, evidently not too intoxicated to misjudge the seriousness and reality of what had just happened to his friend. And what, moments later, happened to him.

Pluck was no longer angry, and was cowering beside me.

* * *

"You murdered them." I said, folding my arms across my chest after the five minutes of silence that had followed my eloquent speech on how I would not rest until I found every possible way to hurt him, should he ever decide to lift me into his arms and take me to Linda's house again at vampire speed. It was also rather unsettling that he knew where the house was, exactly.

I was standing at the front doorway, and Kol was stood just outside of it. I hadn't invited him in, and he seemed to hold the belief that it was his God given right to be invited inside.

"I am not going to apologise because I have killed people for _far_ less."

"They didn't have to die, you could've just as easily compelled them." I said in my usual monotonous voice with a shrug of my shoulders.

"And then what? They would have done the same thing to some one else and probably more. If I hadn't gotten there in time then-"

"Don't pretend to be some sort of hero to me because you're not."

"I didn't have to save you, but I did." he told me, and some of the anger seemed to disappear as the glint appeared in his dark eyes. "Don't I get a reward?"

I scoffed and shook my head. "Leave."

"Why should I?"

"Because I am asking you to." I told him, whipping my head around to glare at him. "And you should always respect a lady's wishes."

His eyes narrowed for a moment and then he grinned. "Good night, darling. Don't let the monsters bite."

And with that chilling sentence, which I wasn't positive was a threat, but did leave me with an unsettling sense of foreboding, he was gone. I was alone.

And I was in Kol Mikaelson's debt.

* * *

_Next Time-_

_"Why are you always following me?"_

_"Why do you pretend to hate it?" he countered._

_"Please," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Nobody is that good an actress."_


End file.
